Members of the U.S. military including the National Guard, reserve soldiers and the Coast Guard can now walk past regular security lines at 100 airports across America without removing their shoes, belts and jackets. And, someday soon, you could do the same.
Soldiers were recently added to a Transportation Security Administration program called Precheck that identifies "low-risk travelers" and ushers them through shorter lines with less hassle. They had access to the program at just 10 airports prior to this deal between the TSA and the Department of Defense, but now Precheck is open to soldiers at every airport where available. Regular travelers will often not have access to the program, but TSA's website says it uses "secure flight data" to sometimes allow passengers to participate on a "random basis," and flyers will be notified on their ticket.
The military deal comes, according to TSA's site, "as part of the ongoing effort to move away from a one-size-fits-all security approach and provide more of the traveling public the ability to participate in expedited screening."
Precheck allows flyers to wait in shorter security lines, keep on all their clothing (excluding bulky jackets) and keep their laptop tucked away in a carry-on bag. Along with armed forces members, anyone who is a member of a Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler program such as Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI can participate in Precheck.
The program is also open to some frequent flyers, and people can apply for Precheck online. No one is guaranteed admission, though, and candidates have to pay an $85 fee and schedule a meeting at an application center to determine eligibility.
A TSA official did not immediately respond to a question about potentially expanding the program to more people. For now, it looks like only soldiers and frequent fliers have a hassle-free flying experience in their future. Unless, of course, a passenger is selected randomly.
